diff --git a/DESIGN.md b/DESIGN.md
index 215def5..e363137 100644
--- a/DESIGN.md
+++ b/DESIGN.md
@@ -397,6 +397,43 @@ Decisions taken where the brief was silent. Each is the simplest option consiste
 - **No fake `batch`**: `BaseKVDriver` deliberately does not provide a non-atomic `batch`, since stores
   use its presence to mean "atomic".
 
+### M3 — KV node
+
+- **Child order is "subtree order", not plain segment order.** The brief's skip-scan assumes a
+  child's keys are contiguous, but they aren't when a sibling extends a segment with a character
+  that sorts below the separator (for `/`: space and `!"#$%&'()*+,-.`). With children `a` and `a-1`
+  the key space is `p/a`, `p/a-1`, `p/a-1/x`, `p/a/x`, so `a`'s descendants sort *after* `a-1`, and
+  "yield if different from the previous segment" would emit `a` twice. `keys()`/`entries()` therefore
+  order children by **escaped segment followed by the separator** (`a-1/` < `a/`), which is the order
+  of their subtrees in key space. For keys without such characters this is plain lexicographic order.
+  - Forward listing defers a child seen only through its own key on a small stack (bounded by
+    segment length) until the scan passes `p/<seg>/`. It costs no extra driver calls beyond the
+    brief's one seek per child with descendants.
+  - Reverse listing needs one batched `getMany` probe per new child whose segment contains a
+    below-separator character, to find shorter siblings that only have an own key.
+  - `after` is exclusive in the direction of travel and follows the same order.
+  - Implemented once in `src/kv/children.ts` (`scanChildren`) and reused by the event and document
+    layers. A model-based property test checks forward, reverse, `after` and `limit` against
+    brute force with keys like `a`, `a-1`, `a.b`, `a/x`, `%`, `~t`.
+  - **Open question for the owner:** keep subtree order, or change segment escaping so the key
+    layout nests exactly. That would mean escaping every below-separator character with an escape
+    character above the separator, at the cost of the readable percent-encoding.
+- **Errors from async methods are rejections.** Every async method (`get`, `set`, …) is an `async`
+  function, so a bad key yields a rejected promise rather than a synchronous throw. `child()` is sync
+  and throws synchronously.
+- **`set(undefined)` is rejected** (`TypeError`: use `delete()`); `undefined` means "missing" in reads.
+- **`deleteTree()` on the root** is allowed and clears the whole store (chunked scan + delete, since
+  the root range has no upper bound). Subtree deletion is `delete(selfKey)` plus
+  `deleteRange(prefix, selfKey + succ(sep))`. It is not `[selfKey, …)`, which would also catch
+  siblings such as `a!`.
+- **`tree({ depth })`** builds a plain object: leaves are values, interior nodes are objects. A node
+  with both an own value and children exposes its own value under the `''` property (empty keys are
+  invalid, so it can't collide). Reserved subtrees are skipped. Deeper levels are skipped by seeking
+  rather than reading.
+- **`keys()` and `entries()` yield string keys** (number keys come back as strings).
+- **Exposed low-level properties** on every node: `path`, `selfKey`, `prefix`, `end` (subtree upper
+  bound), `driver`, `separator`, `isRoot`. The event and document layers build on these.
+
 <!-- decisions appended per milestone -->
 
 ## 13. Benchmark baselines
diff --git a/src/core/trie.ts b/src/core/trie.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f377f18
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/trie.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+/**
+ * Segment trie over path patterns. `*` matches exactly one segment.
+ * A node's matching state is computed incrementally: `step(parentState, segment)`,
+ * so resolving a path is O(depth) and `child()` is O(1) in the number of patterns.
+ */
+export interface TrieNode<T> {
+  readonly literal: Map<string, TrieNode<T>>
+  star: TrieNode<T> | undefined
+  values: { pattern: string; value: T }[]
+}
+
+export type TrieState<T> = readonly TrieNode<T>[]
+
+export class PatternTrie<T> {
+  readonly root: TrieNode<T> = newNode()
+
+  constructor(readonly sep: string) {}
+
+  /** `''` names the root node. */
+  add(pattern: string, value: T): void {
+    let node = this.root
+    for (const seg of splitPattern(pattern, this.sep)) {
+      if (seg === '*') node = node.star ??= newNode()
+      else {
+        let next = node.literal.get(seg)
+        if (!next) node.literal.set(seg, (next = newNode()))
+        node = next
+      }
+    }
+    node.values.push({ pattern, value })
+  }
+
+  get rootState(): TrieState<T> {
+    return [this.root]
+  }
+
+  step(state: TrieState<T>, segment: string): TrieState<T> {
+    if (state.length === 0) return state
+    if (state.length === 1) {
+      const n = state[0]!
+      const lit = n.literal.get(segment)
+      if (lit && n.star) return [lit, n.star]
+      return lit ? [lit] : n.star ? [n.star] : EMPTY
+    }
+    const out: TrieNode<T>[] = []
+    for (const n of state) {
+      const lit = n.literal.get(segment)
+      if (lit) out.push(lit)
+      if (n.star) out.push(n.star)
+    }
+    return out
+  }
+
+  resolve(path: readonly string[]): TrieState<T> {
+    let state = this.rootState
+    for (const seg of path) state = this.step(state, seg)
+    return state
+  }
+
+  /** Values attached to every pattern matching the state's path. */
+  static values<T>(state: TrieState<T>): { pattern: string; value: T }[] {
+    if (state.length === 1) return state[0]!.values
+    return state.flatMap((n) => n.values)
+  }
+}
+
+const EMPTY: TrieState<never> = []
+
+function newNode<T>(): TrieNode<T> {
+  return { literal: new Map(), star: undefined, values: [] }
+}
+
+export function splitPattern(pattern: string, sep: string): string[] {
+  return pattern === '' ? [] : pattern.split(sep)
+}
+
+/** Whether two patterns can match the same path. */
+export function patternsOverlap(a: string, b: string, sep: string): boolean {
+  const sa = splitPattern(a, sep)
+  const sb = splitPattern(b, sep)
+  return sa.length === sb.length && sa.every((s, i) => s === '*' || sb[i] === '*' || s === sb[i])
+}
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index 2602b40..6aabc88 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -2,3 +2,4 @@ export * from './errors.js'
 export * from './core/path.js'
 export * from './core/encoding.js'
 export * from './kv/index.js'
+export * from './types/schema.js'
diff --git a/src/kv/children.ts b/src/kv/children.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b295233
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/kv/children.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,236 @@
+import { escapeSegment, succ } from '../core/path.js'
+import type { KVDriver } from './driver.js'
+
+/**
+ * Direct-children skip-scan, shared by every layer.
+ *
+ * ## Child order
+ *
+ * Children are ordered by **escaped segment followed by the separator** ("subtree order": the
+ * order in which their descendants appear in key space). For segments without characters that
+ * sort below the separator this is plain lexicographic order. When one segment extends another
+ * with such a character (`a` vs `a-1` with `/`), the longer one comes first (`a-1/` < `a/`).
+ *
+ * This is the one order that can be produced without extra reads: a child's own key
+ * (`p/a`) sorts *before* siblings that extend it (`p/a-1`), while its descendants (`p/a/…`) sort
+ * after them. The forward scan therefore defers yielding a child seen only through its own key
+ * until the scan passes `p/a/`, using a stack bounded by segment length.
+ *
+ * ## Cost
+ *
+ * - Forward: one seek per child that has descendants (to jump over its subtree), one at the start,
+ *   and one per reserved (`~…`) region. Siblings without descendants share an iterator.
+ *   `after` adds one `getMany` when the `after` segment contains a below-separator character.
+ * - Reverse: as forward, plus one `getMany` per newly found child whose segment contains a
+ *   below-separator character (to find shorter siblings that only have an own key), or that was
+ *   found through a descendant when `own` is requested.
+ */
+export interface ChildHit {
+  /** Escaped segment. */
+  esc: string
+  /** Whether the child has an own value. Only accurate when `own` was requested. */
+  hasOwn: boolean
+  /** The own value, when `values` was requested and `hasOwn`. */
+  value: unknown
+}
+
+export interface ChildScanOptions {
+  /** Unescaped segment to start after (exclusive), in the direction of travel. */
+  after?: string
+  reverse?: boolean
+  limit?: number
+  /** Fetch own values. Implies `own`. */
+  values?: boolean
+  /** Require accurate `hasOwn`. */
+  own?: boolean
+}
+
+const RESERVED_START = '~'
+const RESERVED_END = succ('~')
+
+export async function* scanChildren(
+  driver: KVDriver,
+  prefix: string,
+  end: string | undefined,
+  sep: string,
+  opts: ChildScanOptions = {},
+): AsyncGenerator<ChildHit> {
+  const limit = opts.limit ?? Infinity
+  if (limit <= 0) return
+  if (opts.reverse) yield* reverseScan(driver, prefix, end, sep, opts, limit)
+  else yield* forwardScan(driver, prefix, end, sep, opts, limit)
+}
+
+/** Prefixes `E[0..j)` (j ≥ 1) where `E[j]` sorts below the separator. */
+function lowPrefixes(esc: string, sepCode: number): string[] {
+  let out: string[] | undefined
+  for (let j = 1; j < esc.length; j++) {
+    if (esc.charCodeAt(j) < sepCode) (out ??= []).push(esc.slice(0, j))
+  }
+  return out ?? NONE
+}
+
+const NONE: string[] = []
+
+async function* forwardScan(
+  driver: KVDriver,
+  prefix: string,
+  end: string | undefined,
+  sep: string,
+  opts: ChildScanOptions,
+  limit: number,
+): AsyncGenerator<ChildHit> {
+  const sepCode = sep.charCodeAt(0)
+  const succSep = succ(sep)
+  const values = opts.values === true
+  const pending: ChildHit[] = []
+  let emitted = 0
+  let gte = prefix
+
+  if (opts.after !== undefined) {
+    const escA = escapeSegment(opts.after, sep)
+    gte = prefix + escA + succSep
+    // Shorter siblings that extend into `after` with a low char come after it, but their own
+    // keys sort before `gte`; probe for them.
+    const cands = lowPrefixes(escA, sepCode)
+    if (cands.length) {
+      const found = await driver.getMany(cands.map((g) => prefix + g))
+      for (let i = 0; i < cands.length; i++) {
+        if (found[i] !== undefined) pending.push({ esc: cands[i]!, hasOwn: true, value: values ? found[i] : undefined })
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  const prefixLen = prefix.length
+  let it = driver.scan({ gte, lt: end, values })[Symbol.asyncIterator]()
+  const reseek = async (from: string) => {
+    await it.return?.()
+    it = driver.scan({ gte: from, lt: end, values })[Symbol.asyncIterator]()
+  }
+
+  try {
+    outer: for (;;) {
+      const r = await it.next()
+      if (r.done) {
+        while (pending.length) {
+          yield pending.pop()!
+          if (++emitted >= limit) return
+        }
+        return
+      }
+      const key = r.value[0]
+      const cut = key.indexOf(sep, prefixLen)
+      const esc = cut === -1 ? key.slice(prefixLen) : key.slice(prefixLen, cut)
+
+      while (pending.length) {
+        const top = pending[pending.length - 1]!
+        if (top.esc === esc) {
+          // First descendant of a deferred child: emit it and jump over its subtree.
+          pending.pop()
+          yield top
+          if (++emitted >= limit) return
+          await reseek(prefix + esc + succSep)
+          continue outer
+        }
+        if (top.esc + sep < esc + sep) {
+          pending.pop()
+          yield top
+          if (++emitted >= limit) return
+        } else break
+      }
+
+      if (esc.startsWith(RESERVED_START)) {
+        await reseek(prefix + RESERVED_END)
+        continue
+      }
+      if (cut === -1) {
+        // Own key: defer until we know no sibling extending it with a low char comes next.
+        pending.push({ esc, hasOwn: true, value: r.value[1] })
+        continue
+      }
+      // Descendant of a child with no own value (an own key would have sorted first).
+      yield { esc, hasOwn: false, value: undefined }
+      if (++emitted >= limit) return
+      await reseek(prefix + esc + succSep)
+    }
+  } finally {
+    await it.return?.()
+  }
+}
+
+async function* reverseScan(
+  driver: KVDriver,
+  prefix: string,
+  end: string | undefined,
+  sep: string,
+  opts: ChildScanOptions,
+  limit: number,
+): AsyncGenerator<ChildHit> {
+  const sepCode = sep.charCodeAt(0)
+  const values = opts.values === true
+  const needOwn = values || opts.own === true
+  // Segments already emitted whose own key may still appear (it sorts after everything else of theirs).
+  const done: string[] = []
+  let emitted = 0
+  let lt = end
+
+  if (opts.after !== undefined) {
+    const escA = escapeSegment(opts.after, sep)
+    lt = prefix + escA + sep
+    // `after` itself and shorter siblings extending into it with a low char sort after it in
+    // child order but their own keys fall below `lt`: mark them done.
+    done.push(...lowPrefixes(escA, sepCode), escA)
+  }
+
+  const prefixLen = prefix.length
+  let it = driver.scan({ gte: prefix, lt, reverse: true, values })[Symbol.asyncIterator]()
+  const reseek = async (below: string) => {
+    await it.return?.()
+    it = driver.scan({ gte: prefix, lt: below, reverse: true, values })[Symbol.asyncIterator]()
+  }
+
+  try {
+    for (;;) {
+      const r = await it.next()
+      if (r.done) return
+      const key = r.value[0]
+      const cut = key.indexOf(sep, prefixLen)
+      const esc = cut === -1 ? key.slice(prefixLen) : key.slice(prefixLen, cut)
+
+      if (esc.startsWith(RESERVED_START)) {
+        await reseek(prefix + RESERVED_START)
+        continue
+      }
+      while (done.length && !esc.startsWith(done[done.length - 1]!)) done.pop()
+      if (done.length && done[done.length - 1] === esc) {
+        done.pop()
+        if (cut !== -1) await reseek(prefix + esc + sep)
+        continue
+      }
+
+      // New child. Shorter siblings that it extends with a low char come before it in reverse
+      // order; any with descendants were already emitted, so only own-key-only ones are unknown.
+      const cands = lowPrefixes(esc, sepCode).filter((g) => !done.includes(g))
+      const probeOwn = cut !== -1 && needOwn
+      let found: unknown[] = NONE
+      if (cands.length || probeOwn) {
+        const probe = cands.map((g) => prefix + g)
+        if (probeOwn) probe.push(prefix + esc)
+        found = await driver.getMany(probe)
+      }
+      for (let i = 0; i < cands.length; i++) {
+        if (found[i] === undefined) continue
+        yield { esc: cands[i]!, hasOwn: true, value: values ? found[i] : undefined }
+        done.push(cands[i]!)
+        if (++emitted >= limit) return
+      }
+      const own = cut === -1 ? r.value[1] : probeOwn ? found[cands.length] : undefined
+      yield { esc, hasOwn: cut === -1 || own !== undefined, value: values ? own : undefined }
+      done.push(esc)
+      if (++emitted >= limit) return
+      if (cut !== -1) await reseek(prefix + esc + sep)
+    }
+  } finally {
+    await it.return?.()
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/kv/index.ts b/src/kv/index.ts
index e2d7035..cfab7c0 100644
--- a/src/kv/index.ts
+++ b/src/kv/index.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
 export * from './driver.js'
 export * from './memory.js'
 export * from './sorted.js'
+export * from './node.js'
+export * from './indexes.js'
+export * from './children.js'
diff --git a/src/kv/indexes.ts b/src/kv/indexes.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2138b10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/kv/indexes.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,157 @@
+import { indexValueCodec, isIndexValue, type IndexValue, type IndexValueCodec } from '../core/encoding.js'
+import { escapeSegment, RESERVED, succ } from '../core/path.js'
+import { PatternTrie, patternsOverlap, type TrieState } from '../core/trie.js'
+
+export type { IndexValue }
+
+/** Maps a child's value to index value(s). An array means multi-entry; `undefined` means not indexed. */
+export type IndexFn<V = any> = (value: V) => IndexValue | readonly IndexValue[] | undefined
+
+/** Index name → function, for the direct children of nodes matching one pattern. */
+export type IndexDefs = Record<string, IndexFn>
+
+/** Path pattern (`*` = one segment, `''` = root) → index definitions. */
+export type IndexDeclarations = Record<string, IndexDefs>
+
+/** A value or a range over index values. Bounds combine (`{ gte, lt }`). */
+export type IndexQuery = IndexValue | IndexRange
+
+export interface IndexRange {
+  gt?: IndexValue
+  gte?: IndexValue
+  lt?: IndexValue
+  lte?: IndexValue
+}
+
+export function isIndexRange(q: unknown): q is IndexRange {
+  return typeof q === 'object' && q !== null
+}
+
+interface CompiledIndex {
+  name: string
+  /** `escapeSegment(name) + sep` */
+  head: string
+  fn: IndexFn
+}
+
+/** Indexes over the direct children of one concrete node. Entry keys are rooted at `base`. */
+export class BoundIndexes {
+  readonly #byName: Map<string, CompiledIndex>
+  readonly #list: CompiledIndex[]
+  readonly #codec: IndexValueCodec
+
+  constructor(
+    defs: CompiledIndex[],
+    /** `<nodePrefix>~i<sep>` */
+    readonly base: string,
+    readonly sep: string,
+  ) {
+    this.#list = defs
+    this.#byName = new Map(defs.map((d) => [d.name, d]))
+    this.#codec = indexValueCodec(sep)
+  }
+
+  has(name: string): boolean {
+    return this.#byName.has(name)
+  }
+
+  /** All index entry keys for a child (escaped segment) holding `value`. */
+  entriesFor(escChild: string, value: unknown, out: Set<string> = new Set()): Set<string> {
+    if (value === undefined) return out
+    for (const idx of this.#list) this.#entriesOf(idx, escChild, value, out)
+    return out
+  }
+
+  #entriesOf(idx: CompiledIndex, escChild: string, value: unknown, out: Set<string>): void {
+    const r = idx.fn(value)
+    if (r === undefined) return
+    const stem = this.base + idx.head
+    const tail = this.sep + escChild
+    if (Array.isArray(r)) {
+      for (const v of r as IndexValue[]) out.add(stem + this.#encode(idx.name, v) + tail)
+    } else out.add(stem + this.#encode(idx.name, r as IndexValue) + tail)
+  }
+
+  #encode(name: string, v: unknown): string {
+    if (!isIndexValue(v)) throw new TypeError(`Index "${name}" returned a non-indexable value: ${String(v)}`)
+    return this.#codec.encode(v)
+  }
+
+  /** Whether `entryKey` is among the entries `value` currently produces for index `name`. */
+  matches(name: string, escChild: string, value: unknown, entryKey: string): boolean {
+    if (value === undefined) return false
+    const out = new Set<string>()
+    this.#entriesOf(this.#get(name), escChild, value, out)
+    return out.has(entryKey)
+  }
+
+  /** Scan bounds over the entries of index `name` for a query. */
+  range(name: string, q: IndexQuery): { gte: string; lt: string } {
+    const stem = this.base + this.#get(name).head
+    const succSep = succ(this.sep)
+    const enc = (v: IndexValue) => stem + this.#encode(name, v)
+    if (!isIndexRange(q)) {
+      const k = enc(q)
+      return { gte: k + this.sep, lt: k + succSep }
+    }
+    let gte = stem
+    let lt = stem.slice(0, -1) + succSep
+    if (q.gte !== undefined) gte = maxStr(gte, enc(q.gte))
+    if (q.gt !== undefined) gte = maxStr(gte, enc(q.gt) + succSep)
+    if (q.lt !== undefined) lt = minStr(lt, enc(q.lt))
+    if (q.lte !== undefined) lt = minStr(lt, enc(q.lte) + succSep)
+    return { gte, lt }
+  }
+
+  /** Splits an entry key under index `name` into the escaped child segment. */
+  childOf(name: string, entryKey: string): string {
+    const start = this.base.length + this.#get(name).head.length
+    return entryKey.slice(entryKey.indexOf(this.sep, start) + 1)
+  }
+
+  #get(name: string): CompiledIndex {
+    const idx = this.#byName.get(name)
+    if (!idx) throw new TypeError(`Unknown index "${name}"`)
+    return idx
+  }
+}
+
+const maxStr = (a: string, b: string) => (a > b ? a : b)
+const minStr = (a: string, b: string) => (a < b ? a : b)
+
+/** Compiles index declarations into a pattern trie and binds them to nodes. */
+export class IndexRegistry {
+  readonly trie: PatternTrie<IndexDefs>
+  readonly empty: boolean
+
+  constructor(
+    decls: IndexDeclarations,
+    readonly sep: string,
+  ) {
+    this.trie = new PatternTrie(sep)
+    const patterns = Object.keys(decls)
+    for (let i = 0; i < patterns.length; i++) {
+      for (let j = i + 1; j < patterns.length; j++) {
+        const a = patterns[i]!
+        const b = patterns[j]!
+        if (!patternsOverlap(a, b, sep)) continue
+        const clash = Object.keys(decls[a]!).filter((n) => n in decls[b]!)
+        if (clash.length) throw new TypeError(`Index name(s) ${clash.join(', ')} declared on overlapping patterns "${a}" and "${b}"`)
+      }
+    }
+    for (const p of patterns) this.trie.add(p, decls[p]!)
+    this.empty = patterns.length === 0
+  }
+
+  /** Indexes over the children of the node with trie state `state` and key prefix `prefix`. */
+  bind(state: TrieState<IndexDefs>, prefix: string): BoundIndexes | undefined {
+    if (this.empty) return undefined
+    const found = PatternTrie.values(state)
+    if (found.length === 0) return undefined
+    const defs: CompiledIndex[] = []
+    for (const { value } of found) {
+      for (const [name, fn] of Object.entries(value)) defs.push({ name, head: escapeSegment(name, this.sep) + this.sep, fn })
+    }
+    return new BoundIndexes(defs, prefix + RESERVED.index + this.sep, this.sep)
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/kv/node.ts b/src/kv/node.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0fd42ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/kv/node.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,403 @@
+import { DEFAULT_SEPARATOR, escapeSegment, succ, toSegment, unescapeSegment, validateSeparator } from '../core/path.js'
+import type { TrieState } from '../core/trie.js'
+import type { AnySpec, ChildOf, EntryOf, KeyOf, KeyString, Spec, StringEntryOf, ValueOf } from '../types/schema.js'
+import { scanChildren } from './children.js'
+import type { BatchOp, KVDriver } from './driver.js'
+import { BoundIndexes, IndexRegistry, isIndexRange, type IndexDeclarations, type IndexDefs, type IndexQuery } from './indexes.js'
+
+export interface KVStorageOptions {
+  /** Single printable ASCII character other than `%` and `~`. Default `/`. */
+  separator?: string
+  /** Path pattern → index definitions over that node's direct children. */
+  indexes?: IndexDeclarations
+  /**
+   * Delete stale index entries found by `findBy` (read-repair). Default `true`.
+   * See DESIGN.md §12 (M4) for the race with concurrent non-atomic writers.
+   */
+  readRepair?: boolean
+}
+
+export interface KeysOptions {
+  limit?: number
+  /** Start after this child key (exclusive), in the direction of travel. */
+  after?: string | number
+  reverse?: boolean
+}
+
+export interface TreeOptions {
+  /** Levels below this node to include; `1` = direct children only. */
+  depth: number
+}
+
+export interface FindByOptions {
+  limit?: number
+  reverse?: boolean
+}
+
+/** @internal */
+export interface KVContext {
+  readonly driver: KVDriver
+  readonly sep: string
+  readonly registry: IndexRegistry
+  readonly readRepair: boolean
+}
+
+interface Slot {
+  key: string
+  esc: string
+  value: unknown
+}
+
+const FIND_CHUNK = 128
+const DELETE_CHUNK = 1000
+
+/**
+ * A store over its direct children. `child(key)` re-roots to that key (sync, no I/O).
+ * Methods take an optional leading key: without it they act on this node's own value,
+ * with it on that child's. The choice is made by argument count; a passed-but-`undefined`
+ * key throws.
+ */
+export class KVNode<S extends Spec = AnySpec> {
+  /** Unescaped path segments. */
+  readonly path: readonly string[]
+  /** This node's own key (escaped). `''` for the root. */
+  readonly selfKey: string
+  /** Prefix of every descendant key. `''` for the root. */
+  readonly prefix: string
+  /** Exclusive upper bound of the subtree range; `undefined` for the root. */
+  readonly end: string | undefined
+
+  readonly #ctx: KVContext
+  readonly #esc: string
+  readonly #state: TrieState<IndexDefs>
+  readonly #selfIdx: BoundIndexes | undefined
+  readonly #childIdx: BoundIndexes | undefined
+
+  /** @internal Use `KVStorage` and `child()`. */
+  constructor(ctx: KVContext, path: readonly string[], selfKey: string, esc: string, state: TrieState<IndexDefs>, selfIdx: BoundIndexes | undefined) {
+    this.#ctx = ctx
+    this.path = path
+    this.selfKey = selfKey
+    this.#esc = esc
+    const root = path.length === 0
+    this.prefix = root ? '' : selfKey + ctx.sep
+    this.end = root ? undefined : selfKey + succ(ctx.sep)
+    this.#state = state
+    this.#selfIdx = selfIdx
+    this.#childIdx = ctx.registry.bind(state, this.prefix)
+  }
+
+  get driver(): KVDriver {
+    return this.#ctx.driver
+  }
+
+  get separator(): string {
+    return this.#ctx.sep
+  }
+
+  get isRoot(): boolean {
+    return this.path.length === 0
+  }
+
+  child<K extends KeyOf<S>>(key: K): KVNode<ChildOf<S, K>> {
+    const seg = toSegment(key)
+    const esc = escapeSegment(seg, this.#ctx.sep)
+    return new KVNode(this.#ctx, [...this.path, seg], this.prefix + esc, esc, this.#ctx.registry.trie.step(this.#state, seg), this.#childIdx)
+  }
+
+  /** Re-types this node. No runtime effect. */
+  as<S2 extends Spec>(): KVNode<S2> {
+    return this as unknown as KVNode<S2>
+  }
+
+  get(): Promise<ValueOf<S> | undefined>
+  get<K extends KeyOf<S>>(key: K): Promise<ValueOf<ChildOf<S, K>> | undefined>
+  async get(...args: unknown[]): Promise<unknown> {
+    const t = this.#resolve(args, 0)
+    return (await this.#ctx.driver.getMany([t.key]))[0]
+  }
+
+  async getMany<K extends KeyOf<S>>(keys: readonly K[]): Promise<(ValueOf<ChildOf<S, K>> | undefined)[]> {
+    if (keys.length === 0) return []
+    return (await this.#ctx.driver.getMany(keys.map((k) => this.#childKey(k)))) as (ValueOf<ChildOf<S, K>> | undefined)[]
+  }
+
+  set(value: ValueOf<S>): Promise<void>
+  set<K extends KeyOf<S>>(key: K, value: ValueOf<ChildOf<S, K>>): Promise<void>
+  async set(...args: unknown[]): Promise<void> {
+    const t = this.#resolve(args, 1)
+    const value = args[args.length - 1]
+    if (value === undefined) throw new TypeError('Cannot set undefined; use delete()')
+    return this.#write(t.idx, [{ key: t.key, esc: t.esc, value }])
+  }
+
+  async setMany(entries: readonly EntryOf<S>[]): Promise<void> {
+    if (entries.length === 0) return
+    const slots = entries.map(([k, value]): Slot => {
+      if (value === undefined) throw new TypeError('Cannot set undefined; use delete()')
+      const esc = escapeSegment(toSegment(k), this.#ctx.sep)
+      return { key: this.prefix + esc, esc, value }
+    })
+    return this.#write(this.#childIdx, slots)
+  }
+
+  /** Deletes the own value (or a child's own value) only, not descendants. */
+  delete(): Promise<void>
+  delete<K extends KeyOf<S>>(key: K): Promise<void>
+  async delete(...args: unknown[]): Promise<void> {
+    const t = this.#resolve(args, 0)
+    return this.#write(t.idx, [{ key: t.key, esc: t.esc, value: undefined }])
+  }
+
+  async deleteMany(keys: readonly KeyOf<S>[]): Promise<void> {
+    if (keys.length === 0) return
+    const slots = keys.map((k): Slot => {
+      const esc = escapeSegment(toSegment(k), this.#ctx.sep)
+      return { key: this.prefix + esc, esc, value: undefined }
+    })
+    return this.#write(this.#childIdx, slots)
+  }
+
+  /** Deletes the own value and all descendants (or a child's). On the root, deletes everything. */
+  deleteTree(): Promise<void>
+  deleteTree<K extends KeyOf<S>>(key: K): Promise<void>
+  async deleteTree(...args: unknown[]): Promise<void> {
+    if (args.length === 0 && this.isRoot) return this.#deleteRange('', undefined)
+    const t = this.#resolve(args, 0)
+    await this.#write(t.idx, [{ key: t.key, esc: t.esc, value: undefined }])
+    await this.#deleteRange(t.key + this.#ctx.sep, t.key + succ(this.#ctx.sep))
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Direct child keys (unescaped), including children that only have descendants.
+   * Order: see `scanChildren` — lexicographic by escaped segment followed by the separator.
+   */
+  async *keys(opts: KeysOptions = {}): AsyncGenerator<KeyString<S>> {
+    const after = opts.after === undefined ? undefined : toSegment(opts.after)
+    for await (const hit of scanChildren(this.#ctx.driver, this.prefix, this.end, this.#ctx.sep, {
+      after,
+      reverse: opts.reverse,
+      limit: opts.limit,
+    })) {
+      yield unescapeSegment(hit.esc) as KeyString<S>
+    }
+  }
+
+  /** Direct children that have an own value, as `[key, value]`. */
+  async *entries(opts: KeysOptions = {}): AsyncGenerator<StringEntryOf<S>> {
+    const after = opts.after === undefined ? undefined : toSegment(opts.after)
+    let remaining = opts.limit ?? Infinity
+    if (remaining <= 0) return
+    for await (const hit of scanChildren(this.#ctx.driver, this.prefix, this.end, this.#ctx.sep, {
+      after,
+      reverse: opts.reverse,
+      values: true,
+    })) {
+      if (!hit.hasOwn) continue
+      yield [unescapeSegment(hit.esc), hit.value] as StringEntryOf<S>
+      if (--remaining <= 0) return
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Assembles descendants up to `depth` levels into a plain object: leaves become values,
+   * nodes with children become objects. A node with both an own value and children exposes the
+   * own value under the `''` property (empty keys are invalid, so it can't collide).
+   * Reserved (`~…`) subtrees are skipped. This node's own value is not included.
+   */
+  async tree<T = Record<string, unknown>>(opts: TreeOptions): Promise<T> {
+    const { depth } = opts
+    if (!(depth >= 1)) throw new RangeError('tree() depth must be >= 1')
+    const { driver, sep } = this.#ctx
+    type TNode = { own?: unknown; has: boolean; kids?: Map<string, TNode> }
+    const root: TNode = { has: false }
+    const prefix = this.prefix
+    let it = driver.scan({ gte: prefix, lt: this.end, values: true })[Symbol.asyncIterator]()
+    const reseek = async (gte: string) => {
+      await it.return?.()
+      it = driver.scan({ gte, lt: this.end, values: true })[Symbol.asyncIterator]()
+    }
+    try {
+      outer: for (;;) {
+        const r = await it.next()
+        if (r.done) break
+        const [key, value] = r.value
+        const segs = key.slice(prefix.length).split(sep)
+        let base = prefix
+        for (let i = 0; i < segs.length && i < depth; i++) {
+          if (segs[i]!.startsWith('~')) {
+            await reseek(base + succ('~'))
+            continue outer
+          }
+          base += segs[i]! + sep
+        }
+        if (segs.length > depth) {
+          await reseek(prefix + segs.slice(0, depth).join(sep) + succ(sep))
+          continue
+        }
+        let node = root
+        for (const s of segs) {
+          const kids = (node.kids ??= new Map())
+          const seg = unescapeSegment(s)
+          let next = kids.get(seg)
+          if (!next) kids.set(seg, (next = { has: false }))
+          node = next
+        }
+        node.own = value
+        node.has = true
+      }
+    } finally {
+      await it.return?.()
+    }
+    const build = (n: TNode): unknown => {
+      if (!n.kids) return n.own
+      const obj: Record<string, unknown> = {}
+      if (n.has) obj[''] = n.own
+      for (const [k, v] of n.kids) obj[k] = build(v)
+      return obj
+    }
+    return (root.kids ? build(root) : {}) as T
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Looks up direct children by an index declared for this node, by exact value or range.
+   * Each hit's value is re-read and re-checked; stale entries are skipped (and deleted when
+   * `readRepair` is on). Multi-entry hits are de-duplicated.
+   */
+  async *findBy(index: string, query: IndexQuery, opts: FindByOptions = {}): AsyncGenerator<StringEntryOf<S>> {
+    const idx = this.#childIdx
+    if (!idx || !idx.has(index)) throw new TypeError(`No index "${index}" on node "${this.selfKey}"`)
+    const { driver, readRepair } = this.#ctx
+    const { gte, lt } = idx.range(index, query)
+    let remaining = opts.limit ?? Infinity
+    if (remaining <= 0) return
+    const seen = isIndexRange(query) ? new Set<string>() : undefined
+    let chunk: string[] = []
+    const it = driver.scan({ gte, lt, reverse: opts.reverse })[Symbol.asyncIterator]()
+
+    // Processes one chunk of entry keys; returns false when the limit is reached.
+    const flush = async function* (this: KVNode<S>): AsyncGenerator<StringEntryOf<S>, boolean> {
+      const entries = chunk
+      chunk = []
+      const escs = entries.map((e) => idx.childOf(index, e))
+      const values = await driver.getMany(escs.map((e) => this.prefix + e))
+      const stale: string[] = []
+      try {
+        for (let i = 0; i < entries.length; i++) {
+          const esc = escs[i]!
+          if (!idx.matches(index, esc, values[i], entries[i]!)) {
+            stale.push(entries[i]!)
+            continue
+          }
+          if (seen) {
+            if (seen.has(esc)) continue
+            seen.add(esc)
+          }
+          yield [unescapeSegment(esc), values[i]] as StringEntryOf<S>
+          if (--remaining <= 0) return false
+        }
+        return true
+      } finally {
+        if (readRepair && stale.length) await driver.deleteMany(stale)
+      }
+    }
+
+    try {
+      for (;;) {
+        const r = await it.next()
+        if (r.done) break
+        chunk.push(r.value[0])
+        // Small first chunk so `findOne`-style lookups cost one probe.
+        if (chunk.length >= (remaining < FIND_CHUNK ? remaining : FIND_CHUNK)) {
+          if (!(yield* flush.call(this))) return
+        }
+      }
+      if (chunk.length) yield* flush.call(this)
+    } finally {
+      await it.return?.()
+    }
+  }
+
+  // ---------------------------------------------------------------- internals
+
+  #childKey(key: unknown): string {
+    return this.prefix + escapeSegment(toSegment(key), this.#ctx.sep)
+  }
+
+  /** Self vs child by argument count; `selfArity` is the self form's argument count. */
+  #resolve(args: readonly unknown[], selfArity: number): { key: string; esc: string; idx: BoundIndexes | undefined } {
+    if (args.length <= selfArity) {
+      if (this.isRoot) throw new TypeError('The root node has no own value')
+      return { key: this.selfKey, esc: this.#esc, idx: this.#selfIdx }
+    }
+    const esc = escapeSegment(toSegment(args[0]), this.#ctx.sep)
+    return { key: this.prefix + esc, esc, idx: this.#childIdx }
+  }
+
+  /** Writes slots (`value: undefined` = delete), maintaining indexes when present. */
+  async #write(idx: BoundIndexes | undefined, slots: Slot[]): Promise<void> {
+    const { driver } = this.#ctx
+    if (!idx) {
+      const sets: [string, unknown][] = []
+      const dels: string[] = []
+      for (const s of slots) {
+        if (s.value === undefined) dels.push(s.key)
+        else sets.push([s.key, s.value])
+      }
+      if (sets.length) await driver.setMany(sets)
+      if (dels.length) await driver.deleteMany(dels)
+      return
+    }
+    // Last write per key wins.
+    const byKey = new Map<string, Slot>()
+    for (const s of slots) byKey.set(s.key, s)
+    const unique = [...byKey.values()]
+    const old = await driver.getMany(unique.map((s) => s.key))
+    const adds: string[] = []
+    const removes: string[] = []
+    for (let i = 0; i < unique.length; i++) {
+      const s = unique[i]!
+      const before = idx.entriesFor(s.esc, old[i])
+      const after = idx.entriesFor(s.esc, s.value)
+      for (const e of after) if (!before.has(e)) adds.push(e)
+      for (const e of before) if (!after.has(e)) removes.push(e)
+    }
+    if (driver.batch) {
+      const ops: BatchOp[] = []
+      for (const k of adds) ops.push({ type: 'set', key: k, value: true })
+      for (const s of unique) ops.push(s.value === undefined ? { type: 'delete', key: s.key } : { type: 'set', key: s.key, value: s.value })
+      for (const k of removes) ops.push({ type: 'delete', key: k })
+      return driver.batch(ops)
+    }
+    // Non-atomic: adds first, then values, then removes. Entries are hints; findBy re-checks.
+    if (adds.length) await driver.setMany(adds.map((k) => [k, true]))
+    const sets = unique.filter((s) => s.value !== undefined)
+    const dels = unique.filter((s) => s.value === undefined)
+    if (sets.length) await driver.setMany(sets.map((s) => [s.key, s.value]))
+    if (dels.length) await driver.deleteMany(dels.map((s) => s.key))
+    if (removes.length) await driver.deleteMany(removes)
+  }
+
+  async #deleteRange(gte: string, lt: string | undefined): Promise<void> {
+    const { driver } = this.#ctx
+    if (lt !== undefined && driver.deleteRange) return driver.deleteRange(gte, lt)
+    for (;;) {
+      const keys: string[] = []
+      for await (const [k] of driver.scan({ gte, lt, limit: DELETE_CHUNK })) keys.push(k)
+      if (keys.length === 0) return
+      await driver.deleteMany(keys)
+      if (keys.length < DELETE_CHUNK) return
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+/** The root `KVNode` over a driver. */
+export class KVStorage<S extends Spec = AnySpec> extends KVNode<S> {
+  constructor(driver: KVDriver, opts: KVStorageOptions = {}) {
+    const sep = opts.separator ?? DEFAULT_SEPARATOR
+    validateSeparator(sep)
+    const registry = new IndexRegistry(opts.indexes ?? {}, sep)
+    super({ driver, sep, registry, readRepair: opts.readRepair ?? true }, [], '', '', registry.trie.rootState, undefined)
+  }
+}
+
diff --git a/src/types/schema.ts b/src/types/schema.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1c9ea94
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/types/schema.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+/**
+ * A Spec types one node: its own value and its children by key.
+ * Named child levels check keys at compile time; `[id: string]` levels accept any string.
+ */
+export type Spec = { value?: unknown; children?: Record<string, Spec> }
+
+/** Untyped default: any value, any children. */
+export interface AnySpec {
+  value: unknown
+  children: Record<string, AnySpec>
+}
+
+export type ValueOf<S> = S extends { value: infer V } ? V : never
+export type ChildrenOf<S> = S extends { children: infer C } ? C : {}
+export type KeyOf<S> = Extract<keyof ChildrenOf<S>, string | number>
+export type ChildOf<S, K extends KeyOf<S>> = ChildrenOf<S>[K] extends infer C extends Spec ? C : never
+
+/** Child keys as yielded at runtime (always strings). */
+export type KeyString<S> = `${KeyOf<S>}`
+
+/** `[key, value]` for each child key, as a union of precise pairs. */
+export type EntryOf<S> = { [K in KeyOf<S>]: [K, ValueOf<ChildOf<S, K>>] }[KeyOf<S>]
+
+/** `[key, value]` as yielded at runtime (string keys). */
+export type StringEntryOf<S> = { [K in KeyOf<S>]: [`${K}`, ValueOf<ChildOf<S, K>>] }[KeyOf<S>]
+
+/** A dynamic level of children with values `V`, each with children `C`. */
+export type Many<V, C extends Record<string, Spec> = {}> = { children: { [id: string]: { value: V; children: C } } }
+
+/** Field-per-key: each property of `T` is a named child holding that field's value. */
+export type Fields<T> = { [K in keyof T & string]: { value: T[K] } }
diff --git a/test/kv/node.test.ts b/test/kv/node.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..36232f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/kv/node.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,350 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import fc from 'fast-check'
+import { KVStorage } from '../../src/kv/node.js'
+import { InMemoryKVDriver } from '../../src/kv/memory.js'
+import { escapeSegment } from '../../src/core/path.js'
+import { InvalidKeyError } from '../../src/errors.js'
+import { collect, CountingDriver, MinimalDriver } from '../helpers.js'
+
+function setup() {
+  const driver = new CountingDriver()
+  const db = new KVStorage(driver)
+  return { driver, db }
+}
+
+describe('KVNode basics', () => {
+  it('reads and writes own and child values at the same key', async () => {
+    const { db } = setup()
+    const users = db.child('users')
+    await users.set('123', { name: 'Ada' })
+    expect(await users.get('123')).toEqual({ name: 'Ada' })
+    expect(await users.child('123').get()).toEqual({ name: 'Ada' })
+    await users.child('123').set({ name: 'Bob' })
+    expect(await users.get('123')).toEqual({ name: 'Bob' })
+    expect(users.child('123').selfKey).toBe('users/123')
+  })
+
+  it('treats number keys as strings', async () => {
+    const { db } = setup()
+    await db.child('n').set(5, 'five')
+    expect(await db.child('n').get('5')).toBe('five')
+  })
+
+  it('escapes keys containing the separator, % and leading ~', async () => {
+    const { db, driver } = setup()
+    const n = db.child('a/b')
+    await n.set('~x', 1)
+    await n.set('50%', 2)
+    expect(await collect(driver.inner.scan({}))).toEqual([
+      ['a%2Fb/%7Ex', undefined],
+      ['a%2Fb/50%25', undefined],
+    ])
+    // Ordered by escaped segment: '%7Ex' < '50%25'.
+    expect(await collect(n.keys())).toEqual(['~x', '50%'])
+  })
+
+  it('own value and children are independent keys', async () => {
+    const { db } = setup()
+    const u = db.child('users').child('1')
+    await u.set('own')
+    await u.set('name', 'Ada')
+    await u.delete()
+    expect(await u.get()).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(await u.get('name')).toBe('Ada')
+  })
+
+  it('getMany / setMany / deleteMany', async () => {
+    const { db, driver } = setup()
+    const n = db.child('n')
+    driver.reset()
+    await n.setMany([
+      ['a', 1],
+      ['b', 2],
+    ])
+    expect(await n.getMany(['b', 'x', 'a'])).toEqual([2, undefined, 1])
+    await n.deleteMany(['a', 'x'])
+    expect(await n.getMany(['a', 'b'])).toEqual([undefined, 2])
+    expect(driver.calls).toEqual({ setMany: 1, getMany: 2, deleteMany: 1 })
+  })
+
+  it('single-key ops make exactly one driver call', async () => {
+    const { db, driver } = setup()
+    const n = db.child('users')
+    driver.reset()
+    await n.set('1', 'x')
+    await n.get('1')
+    await n.child('1').get()
+    await n.delete('1')
+    expect(driver.calls).toEqual({ setMany: 1, getMany: 2, deleteMany: 1 })
+  })
+
+  it('rejects setting undefined', async () => {
+    const { db } = setup()
+    await expect(db.child('a').set('b', undefined)).rejects.toThrow(TypeError)
+  })
+})
+
+describe('arity dispatch', () => {
+  it('throws on passed-but-undefined or null keys instead of reading self', async () => {
+    const { db } = setup()
+    const users = db.child('users')
+    const maybe: string | undefined = undefined
+    await expect(users.get(maybe as never)).rejects.toThrow(InvalidKeyError)
+    await expect(users.get(null as never)).rejects.toThrow(TypeError)
+    await expect(users.set(maybe as never, 1 as never)).rejects.toThrow(TypeError)
+    await expect(users.delete(maybe as never)).rejects.toThrow(TypeError)
+    await expect(users.getMany([maybe as never])).rejects.toThrow(TypeError)
+    await expect(users.deleteTree(maybe as never)).rejects.toThrow(TypeError)
+    expect(() => users.child(maybe as never)).toThrow(TypeError)
+  })
+
+  it('root has no own value', async () => {
+    const { db } = setup()
+    await expect(db.get()).rejects.toThrow(TypeError)
+    await expect(db.set(1)).rejects.toThrow(TypeError)
+    await expect(db.delete()).rejects.toThrow(TypeError)
+  })
+
+  it('rejects empty keys', () => {
+    const { db } = setup()
+    expect(() => db.child('')).toThrow(InvalidKeyError)
+  })
+})
+
+describe('keys / entries', () => {
+  it('lists direct children, including ones with only descendants, skipping reserved', async () => {
+    const { db } = setup()
+    const n = db.child('n')
+    await n.set('a', 1)
+    await n.child('b').set('deep', 1)
+    await n.set('c', 3)
+    await n.child('c').child('x').set('y', 1)
+    await db.driver.setMany([['n/~i/idx/v/a', true]])
+    await n.set('\u{1F600}', 'emoji')
+    expect(await collect(n.keys())).toEqual(['a', 'b', 'c', '\u{1F600}'])
+    expect(await collect(n.keys({ reverse: true }))).toEqual(['\u{1F600}', 'c', 'b', 'a'])
+    expect(await collect(n.keys({ after: 'a', limit: 2 }))).toEqual(['b', 'c'])
+    expect(await collect(n.keys({ after: 'c', reverse: true }))).toEqual(['b', 'a'])
+    expect(await collect(n.entries())).toEqual([
+      ['a', 1],
+      ['c', 3],
+      ['\u{1F600}', 'emoji'],
+    ])
+    expect(await collect(n.entries({ reverse: true, limit: 2 }))).toEqual([
+      ['\u{1F600}', 'emoji'],
+      ['c', 3],
+    ])
+  })
+
+  it('root keys skip the reserved ~p/~e roots', async () => {
+    const { db } = setup()
+    await db.driver.setMany([
+      ['~p/users/1', {}],
+      ['users/1', {}],
+    ])
+    expect(await collect(db.keys())).toEqual(['users'])
+  })
+
+  it('orders siblings that extend another with a below-separator char first', async () => {
+    const { db } = setup()
+    const n = db.child('n')
+    await n.set('a', 1)
+    await n.set('a-1', 2)
+    await n.child('a').set('x', 3)
+    expect(await collect(n.keys())).toEqual(['a-1', 'a'])
+    expect(await collect(n.keys({ reverse: true }))).toEqual(['a', 'a-1'])
+    expect(await collect(n.entries())).toEqual([
+      ['a-1', 2],
+      ['a', 1],
+    ])
+  })
+
+  it('is a skip-scan: seeks are O(children), not O(subtree)', async () => {
+    const { db, driver } = setup()
+    const n = db.child('n')
+    const writes: [string, unknown][] = []
+    for (let c = 0; c < 50; c++) {
+      writes.push([`n/c${String(c).padStart(3, '0')}`, c])
+      for (let d = 0; d < 100; d++) writes.push([`n/c${String(c).padStart(3, '0')}/d${d}`, d])
+    }
+    await driver.inner.setMany(writes)
+    driver.reset()
+    const keys = await collect(n.keys())
+    expect(keys).toHaveLength(50)
+    // One initial scan plus one seek per child with descendants.
+    expect(driver.calls.scan).toBe(51)
+    expect(driver.calls.getMany).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+
+  it('siblings without descendants share one iterator', async () => {
+    const { db, driver } = setup()
+    const n = db.child('n')
+    await n.setMany(Array.from({ length: 100 }, (_, i) => [`k${i}`, i] as [string, number]))
+    driver.reset()
+    expect(await collect(n.keys())).toHaveLength(100)
+    expect(driver.calls.scan).toBe(1)
+  })
+})
+
+describe('deleteTree', () => {
+  it('deletes own value and all descendants but not lookalike siblings', async () => {
+    const { db } = setup()
+    const n = db.child('n')
+    await n.set('a', 1)
+    await n.child('a').set('b', 2)
+    await n.child('a').child('b').set('c', 3)
+    await n.set('a!', 'sibling')
+    await n.set('a0', 'sibling')
+    await n.deleteTree('a')
+    expect(await collect(n.keys())).toEqual(['a!', 'a0'])
+    await n.child('a0').deleteTree()
+    expect(await collect(n.keys())).toEqual(['a!'])
+  })
+
+  it('works without deleteRange, and on root', async () => {
+    const driver = new CountingDriver(new InMemoryKVDriver(), ['deleteRange'])
+    const db = new KVStorage(driver)
+    for (let i = 0; i < 2500; i++) await db.child('x').child(String(i)).set('v', i)
+    await db.child('y').set(1, 1)
+    await db.child('x').deleteTree()
+    expect(await collect(db.keys())).toEqual(['y'])
+    await db.deleteTree()
+    expect(await collect(driver.scan({}))).toEqual([])
+  })
+})
+
+describe('tree', () => {
+  it('assembles descendants up to depth, field-per-key style', async () => {
+    const { db } = setup()
+    const p = db.child('profile').child('9')
+    await p.set('username', 'ada')
+    await p.set('age', 36)
+    await p.child('address').set('city', 'London')
+    await p.child('address').child('geo').set('lat', 51)
+    await p.child('address').set('own')
+    await db.driver.setMany([['profile/9/~i/x/y', true]])
+    expect(await p.tree({ depth: 1 })).toEqual({ username: 'ada', age: 36, address: 'own' })
+    expect(await p.tree({ depth: 2 })).toEqual({ username: 'ada', age: 36, address: { '': 'own', city: 'London', geo: undefined } })
+    expect(await p.tree({ depth: 3 })).toEqual({ username: 'ada', age: 36, address: { '': 'own', city: 'London', geo: { lat: 51 } } })
+  })
+})
+
+// ------------------------------------------------------------------ model-based
+
+type Path = string[]
+const SEP = '/'
+const segArb = fc.constantFrom('a', 'a-1', 'a.b', 'b', 'a/x', '%', '~t', '1', '10', '9', 'ab', 'a!', 'é')
+const pathArb = fc.array(segArb, { minLength: 1, maxLength: 3 })
+const valArb = fc.oneof(fc.integer(), fc.string(), fc.constant(null), fc.record({ n: fc.integer() }))
+
+type Op =
+  | { t: 'set'; path: Path; value: unknown; selfForm: boolean }
+  | { t: 'delete'; path: Path; selfForm: boolean }
+  | { t: 'deleteTree'; path: Path }
+  | { t: 'setMany'; parent: Path; entries: [string, unknown][] }
+
+const opArb: fc.Arbitrary<Op> = fc.oneof(
+  { weight: 5, arbitrary: fc.record({ t: fc.constant('set' as const), path: pathArb, value: valArb, selfForm: fc.boolean() }) },
+  { weight: 2, arbitrary: fc.record({ t: fc.constant('delete' as const), path: pathArb, selfForm: fc.boolean() }) },
+  { weight: 1, arbitrary: fc.record({ t: fc.constant('deleteTree' as const), path: pathArb }) },
+  {
+    weight: 1,
+    arbitrary: fc.record({
+      t: fc.constant('setMany' as const),
+      parent: fc.array(segArb, { maxLength: 2 }),
+      entries: fc.array(fc.tuple(segArb, valArb), { maxLength: 4 }),
+    }),
+  },
+)
+
+const enc = (p: Path) => JSON.stringify(p)
+const isPrefix = (p: Path, q: Path) => p.length <= q.length && p.every((s, i) => q[i] === s)
+
+/** Expected child order: escaped segment + separator, lexicographic. */
+function expectedChildren(model: Map<string, unknown>, parent: Path): { key: string; own: unknown; hasOwn: boolean }[] {
+  const kids = new Map<string, { own: unknown; hasOwn: boolean }>()
+  for (const [k, v] of model) {
+    const p = JSON.parse(k) as Path
+    if (p.length <= parent.length || !isPrefix(parent, p)) continue
+    const seg = p[parent.length]!
+    const e = kids.get(seg) ?? { own: undefined, hasOwn: false }
+    if (p.length === parent.length + 1) Object.assign(e, { own: v, hasOwn: true })
+    kids.set(seg, e)
+  }
+  return [...kids]
+    .map(([key, e]) => ({ key, ...e }))
+    .sort((x, y) => {
+      const a = escapeSegment(x.key, SEP) + SEP
+      const b = escapeSegment(y.key, SEP) + SEP
+      return a < b ? -1 : a > b ? 1 : 0
+    })
+}
+
+function nodeAt(db: KVStorage, path: Path) {
+  let n = db as ReturnType<KVStorage['child']>
+  for (const s of path) n = n.child(s)
+  return n
+}
+
+describe('model-based (random ops vs reference Map)', () => {
+  for (const [name, make] of [
+    ['InMemory', () => new InMemoryKVDriver()],
+    ['Minimal', () => new MinimalDriver()],
+  ] as const) {
+    it(`matches the model (${name})`, async () => {
+      await fc.assert(
+        fc.asyncProperty(fc.array(opArb, { maxLength: 30 }), fc.array(fc.array(segArb, { maxLength: 2 }), { minLength: 1, maxLength: 3 }), async (ops, probes) => {
+          const db = new KVStorage(make())
+          const model = new Map<string, unknown>()
+          for (const op of ops) {
+            switch (op.t) {
+              case 'set': {
+                if (op.selfForm) await nodeAt(db, op.path).set(op.value)
+                else await nodeAt(db, op.path.slice(0, -1)).set(op.path.at(-1)!, op.value)
+                model.set(enc(op.path), op.value)
+                break
+              }
+              case 'delete': {
+                if (op.selfForm) await nodeAt(db, op.path).delete()
+                else await nodeAt(db, op.path.slice(0, -1)).delete(op.path.at(-1)!)
+                model.delete(enc(op.path))
+                break
+              }
+              case 'deleteTree': {
+                await nodeAt(db, op.path).deleteTree()
+                for (const k of [...model.keys()]) if (isPrefix(op.path, JSON.parse(k))) model.delete(k)
+                break
+              }
+              case 'setMany': {
+                await nodeAt(db, op.parent).setMany(op.entries)
+                for (const [k, v] of op.entries) model.set(enc([...op.parent, k]), v)
+                break
+              }
+            }
+          }
+          for (const [k, v] of model) expect(await nodeAt(db, JSON.parse(k)).get()).toEqual(v)
+          for (const parent of probes) {
+            const node = nodeAt(db, parent)
+            const exp = expectedChildren(model, parent)
+            const keys = exp.map((e) => e.key)
+            expect(await collect(node.keys())).toEqual(keys)
+            expect(await collect(node.keys({ reverse: true }))).toEqual([...keys].reverse())
+            expect(await collect(node.entries())).toEqual(exp.filter((e) => e.hasOwn).map((e) => [e.key, e.own]))
+            expect(await collect(node.entries({ reverse: true }))).toEqual(
+              exp
+                .filter((e) => e.hasOwn)
+                .map((e) => [e.key, e.own])
+                .reverse(),
+            )
+            for (let i = 0; i < keys.length; i++) {
+              expect(await collect(node.keys({ after: keys[i]! }))).toEqual(keys.slice(i + 1))
+              expect(await collect(node.keys({ after: keys[i]!, reverse: true }))).toEqual(keys.slice(0, i).reverse())
+              expect(await collect(node.keys({ limit: i + 1 }))).toEqual(keys.slice(0, i + 1))
+            }
+          }
+        }),
+        { numRuns: 300 },
+      )
+    }, 60_000)
+  }
+})